Section 4:  Government Programs - A Guide to Healthcare Occupations in Maryland - Military Personnel and Spouses Relocating to Maryland - PROVET

There are several government education assistance programs available to current and separating military service members. Below is some basic information on four programs: Montgomery GI Bill, Top Up, VEAP and the Department of Defense Tuition Assistance program. The best source of information regarding all of these programs is a local Education Center. Specialists at these centers work with service members to develop an education assistance program that meets individual needs.

• Maryland State Grants and Scholarships
• PROVET
• Montgomery GI Bill
• Veterans' Educational Assistance Program (VEAP)
• Veterans' Affairs Education Benefits
• Top Up
• Tuition Assistance

1. Maryland State Grants and Scholarships

Each year the state of Maryland awards a multitude of scholarships and grants to residents in efforts to improve affordable access to higher education and the achievement of education goals. Financial based programs specifically designed to meet the needs of the growing number of non-traditional students have become an important focus for statewide imperatives regarding degree-granting institutions. A free on-line scholarship search is available at Maryland Higher Education Commission to identify the Maryland State financial assistance programs based on eligibility.

A number of Grants or Scholarships that may be available to health care professionals include the State Nursing Scholarship and Living Expenses Grant; Professional School Scholarship; Health Manpower Shortage Program; and the Health Shortage Incentive Grant Program. Maryland's Loan Assistance Repayment Program repays college loans to graduates from fields of employment where a shortage of practitioners caring for the underserved exists.

For additional information on these and other healthcare related Scholarship and Grant Programs visit the Maryland Board of Nursing's Education Link at Maryland Board of Nursing.

2. PROVET

PROVET (Promoting Reemployment Opportunities for Veterans) Health Care is a Department of Labor pilot program in Maryland and is designed for:

• Transitioning military separating from active service;
• Recently separated veterans;
• Their spouses.

PROVET Health Care offers the following services:

• Referrals to employment;
• Assessment of military training for State licensing and/or certification;
• Help in obtaining funds for training, licensure or certification costs.

3. Montgomery GI Bill

The Montgomery GI Bill - Active Duty, called "MGIB" for short, provides up to 36 months of education benefits to eligible veterans for:

• College, Business
• Technical or Vocational Courses
• Correspondence Courses
• Apprenticeship/Job Training
• Flight Training
• Licensing and Certification Fees

Who is Eligible?

An eligible veteran got an Honorable Discharge, AND has a High School Diploma or GED or, in some cases 12 hours of college credit, AND meets the requirements of one of the categories below:

CATEGORY I

• Entered active duty for the first time after June 30, 1985;
• Had military pay reduced by $100 a month for first 12 months;
• Continuously served for 3 years;
• OR 2 years if that is what you first enlisted for;
• OR 2 years for persons who entered Selected Reserve within a year of leaving active duty and served 4 years ("2 by 4" Program).

CATEGORY II

• Entered active duty before January 1, 1977;
• Served at least 1 day between 10/19/84 and 6/30/85, and stayed on active duty through 6/30/88, (or 6/30/87 for persons who entered Selected Reserve within 1 year of leaving active duty and served 4 years);
• On 12/31/89, had entitlement left from Vietnam Era GI Bill.

CATEGORY III

• Not eligible for MGIB under Category I or II;
• On active duty on 9/30/90 AND separated involuntarily after 2/2/91;
• OR involuntarily separated on or after 11/30/93;
• OR voluntarily separated under either the Voluntary Separation Incentive (VSI) or Special Separation Benefit (SSB) program;
• Before separation, had military pay reduced by $1200.

4. Veterans' Educational Assistance Program (VEAP)

VEAP is available to veterans and active service members who elected to make contributions from their military pay to participate in this education benefit program. The Government matches contributions on a $2 for $1 basis. These benefits may be used for degree, certificate, correspondence, apprenticeship/on-the-job training programs, and vocational flight training programs. In certain circumstances, remedial, deficiency, and refresher training may also be available.

Benefit entitlement is 1 to 36 months depending on the number of monthly contributions. VEAP benefits are available for 10 years from the date of release from Active Duty. If there is entitlement not used after the 10-year period, individual portion remaining in the fund will be automatically refunded.

Who is Eligible?

Qualifying veterans and active service members must meet the following requirements:

• Entered service for the first time between January 1, 1977 and June 30, 1985;
• Opened a contribution account before April 1, 1987;
• Voluntarily contributed from $25 to $2,700;
• Completed the first period of service; and
• Were discharged or released from service under conditions other than dishonorable.

To receive VEAP benefits while on Active Duty, at least 3 months of contributions must be available.

5. Veterans' Affairs Education Benefits

Expanded education benefits provided by the U.S. Department of Veterans' Affairs cover test fees for certification or licensure. Veterans may be reimbursed for actual costs up to $2,000 per test. Veterans' Affairs (VA), will rely on its existing partnerships with state agencies that certify education programs for Montgomery GI Bill benefits to determine which test will be approved for reimbursement.

Participants must be eligible for the Montgomery GI Bill or the Veterans' Educational Assistance Program (VEAP.)

There is no "Official" application for this benefit. Send a copy of test results with a note requesting reimbursement to apply for reimbursement of a test. The note should include the following information:

• Name and social security number;
• Name of the test you took and the test date;
• Name and address of the organization issuing the license or certificate
  (not necessarily the organization that administered the test);
• Cost of the test. Remember, registration fees, preparation guides, processing 
  fees, etc. will not be reimbursed;
• The following statement: "I authorize release of my test information to VA."

Each state has a VA office that processes reimbursement requests for that state. The VA's website on test reimbursement benefits contains a sample of reimbursement request and contact information for VA offices in each state. It can be found at the VA website. Alternatively, call the VA at 888-442-4551 for assistance.

6. Top Up

On October 30, 2000, the President signed into law an amendment to the Montgomery GI Bill (MGIB) - Active Duty education program that permits VA to pay a Tuition Assistance Top Up benefit. The amount of the benefit can be equal to the difference between the total cost of a college course and the amount of DoD Tuition Assistance that is paid by the military for the course.

Who is eligible?

A person must be approved for DoD Tuition Assistance by a military department and be eligible for MGIB-Active Duty benefits. To be eligible for MGIB benefits, the person must be an MGIB - Active Duty participant and must have served at least 2 full years on Active Duty.

The amount of the benefit is limited to the amount that the person would receive for the same course if regular MGIB benefits were being paid.

The benefit is available for all courses that began on or after October 30, 2000. A copy of the Tuition Assistance Authorization form for the course that has been signed by an authorized military official will be required. People who have not requested MGIB benefits before should submit a VA Form 22-1990 to establish eligibility.

The Top Up program is not available at this time to persons who are eligible for the MGIB Selected Reserve program.

7. Tuition Assistance

Tuition Assistance (TA) Department of Defense Program is a program open to active duty military personnel and active National Guard and Reserve military personnel to pay for tuition and fees for college and university courses.

TA application can be picked up at the service member's unit and approved by the unit and the service member. Early application is encouraged, as TA funds may run out before your application is processed. The following forms are used as TA applications:

• Army - DA Form 2117
• Navy - 1560 Form

Students must submit properly filled out and unit approved TA authorization forms at the beginning of each term to the Auburn University (AU) Bursar's Office, Third Party Billing, at the Quad Center.

Tuition and fees information necessary to complete the cost section of the TA form, can be obtained from Auburn University, click on administration, Bursar's Office, tuition rates.

Course grades will be submitted to DANTES for course completion verification. If a student does not pass courses or does not complete the courses for which TA funds were used, DANTES will require the student to reimburse the Government for the expenses paid to the University.

It takes 10-12 weeks from the time DANTES receives the TA forms and grades/invoices from the school to ARNG, USAR and AFRC. Students can contact their unit education offices or AU's Bursar's Office for assistance.

Contact Points:

1. Auburn University Bursar's Office, Third Party Billing, at the Quad Center - 334-844-3769
2. DoD TA Program Manager's Office - 850-452-1082, FAX, 850-452-1160

Section 5.  Information for Spouses

Return to the top of the page

Updated October 7, 2009